


The Curious Case of Martin Aldrich Holmes-Crieff

by in_the_bottle



Series: Brothers [2]
Category: Cabin Pressure, Sherlock (TV), Sherlock/Cabin Pressure - Fandom
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-19
Updated: 2011-12-19
Packaged: 2017-11-02 04:56:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/365216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/in_the_bottle/pseuds/in_the_bottle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being the eldest is hard work. Mycroft should know...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Curious Case of Martin Aldrich Holmes-Crieff

**Author's Note:**

> A short snippet from Mycroft's POV that's set in the same universe as [These Skies Are Breaking](http://in-the-bottle.livejournal.com/763490.html). Started out as a scene that was cut out of the main story and like everything in this universe, just expanded. Though this time not by THAT much. Many thanks to [](http://sarlania.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**sarlania**](http://sarlania.dreamwidth.org/) for betaing.

When Mycroft first saw Martin, he was surprised at how much he looked like Sherlock at the same age. Except for the red wavy curls, Martin and Sherlock looked identical. That was the only reason Mycroft could think of which accounted for his immediate protective instinct towards Martin.

While their parents tried to spend as much time as possible over the summer holidays with Martin, their father's research and mummy's work with the government meant that they were still away most of the time.

"Mycroft."

"Yes, Mummy?"

"I trust that you'll help keep an eye out for your brothers? Mrs. Moore can't be running around all over the place chasing those two, not at her age."

"Of course, Mummy," it was up to Mycroft to make sure his younger siblings didn’t get into too much trouble and he did not have a problem with that.

As Martin was only with them for three months of the year, quite frequently less than that, Mycroft was going to make sure he enjoyed his time as much as possible. Though this meant that Sherlock, as a result, got away with the most outrageous "experiments".

Mycroft didn't complain when Sherlock stole Volume A of his encyclopedia set to show Martin the section on aeroplanes. He didn't say anything when his chemistry textbook went missing, and even though he was really angry with Sherlock for feeding the ants in the garden his chocolate, Mycroft didn't say a word to their parents.

The only time Sherlock got into trouble was when Martin, aged twelve, almost drowned. Mycroft wasn't even sure what Sherlock and Martin were doing at the pool at midnight, but Martin had managed to get water into his ears and as a result, passed out from a previously undiagnosed inner-ear condition.

"It's not Sherlock's fault," Martin had said, sitting up on the hospital bed. "I wanted to help."

Sherlock was uncharacteristically quiet, clutching onto Martin's hand as though afraid to let go.

"Oh Martin, you need to know when to say no," Mummy said, sitting on the hospital bed and clutching Martin close to her.

"I can still be a pilot, can't I? I read about how if you have a medical problem, they won't let you fly."

"Don't you worry about that, son. You'll be able fly," Father said, reassuring.

Sherlock never did provide any satisfactory explanation even though Mycroft suspected it had something to do with the tragic death of Carl Powers that had been on the news. Mycroft had never seen Sherlock as shaken as he had been that night. Sherlock didn't even protest when Father took away his precious microscope for the rest of the summer as punishment.

The physical similarities between Martin and Sherlock only increased as they got older. It was obvious that Martin was nowhere as intellectual as Mycroft or Sherlock, but the sheer determination to do what he wanted, no matter what the consequence, was something shared by all three Holmes brothers.

Sherlock's relationship with Martin sometimes puzzled Mycroft as well. Sherlock never had the patience to wait for other children to catch up with him, often dismissing them as stupid or boring. Yet when he was with Martin, he would listen to Martin talk about his model aeroplanes, flying, and all other aerodynamically related trivia. In turn, Sherlock would carefully explain to Martin chemistry, physics, bees, music and whatever topic it was he was obsessed with at the time.

Mycroft had never been close to Martin while growing up, but that changed after Victor's death; their shared concern for Sherlock bringing them together. It had been rather unexpected to have Martin looking to him for answers, confident that Mycroft would be able to sort things out. It reminded Mycroft of how Sherlock used to be with him when he was a child.

It almost broke Mycroft, having to deliver the news of Sherlock's "death" to their parents. Though, as Mycroft suspected, he hadn't been able to fool them for long, especially when they couldn't get hold of Martin and Martin failed to turn up for the funeral. Once the initial shock wore off, Mummy and Father put the pieces together without Mycroft having to say a word.

Mummy had refused to speak to Mycroft for over three months.

All Father said to Mummy in Mycroft's defense was: "At least he had enough sense to send Martin with him."

"So the _both_ of them could get killed?"

Father ended up sleeping in the guest room for a week.

Mycroft never really had to worry about Martin as much as he did with Sherlock. Of course he worried about Martin's financials, but he knew Martin, like his adoptive father, was too proud to ask for help. So occasionally, Mycroft would send Martin's way some delivery jobs and clients who always left big tips. If Martin ever thought anything was amiss, he never mentioned it.

Martin, while not a genius, had more common sense than Sherlock. He'd still follow Sherlock most of the time, but as they got older, he also started to pull Sherlock back from some of his crazier plans. Mycroft was grateful that Sherlock was able to turn to Martin for help even when he rejected most of Mycroft's offers of assistance.

"Martin," Mycroft picked up the small secure phone he carried with him at all times, his voice not betraying any of the anxiety he felt. "What do you need?"

"Sherlock's convinced that the trail's run cold. He's... he's... uh... not taking it well," Martin sounded worried and exhausted. A small voice at the back of Mycroft's mind queried whether he had done the right thing for allowing Martin to go with Sherlock. Their parents would never forgive him if anything happened to either of them.

Growing up, there were times Mycroft admitted to himself that he was a little envious of the relationship between his two younger brothers. On the other hand, the fact that he was quite a bit older meant that he was able to stand back, not get drawn into their ridiculous plans, and keep an eye out for them. As far as Mycroft was concerned, that was his responsibility as big brother.

"I'll see what I can do." Mycroft replied, ignoring the squawks coming from the handset of the landline. He gestured to Anthea to take care of it; the Prime Minister could wait a few minutes. "How are you?"

The End


End file.
